Photography by Bryant Littrean — I’M WEARING: Suit by Reiss | Similar here Shirt by Tommy Hilfiger | Similar here Tie by Tommy Hilfiger | Shop here Pocket Square by Hugo Boss | Similar here Loafers by Ankari Floruss |…
Like so many millions before me, I came to America through New York. It was this bright, shining city that attracted me all the way from Stuttgart, Germany as a kid. New York was, and remains today for so many, more an idea than a physical place – New York means being able to start over, fresh, in a new place.
The other day I was walking around Brooklyn in some new threads I had picked up right before leaving for Europe from Express. I put this outfit together inspired by that distinctive New York energy that encourages a constant hustle. In American Sportswear, there has always been a strong influence of working clothes – Americans are do-ers. They need clothes for lives of action.
When it comes to luxury clothes and accessories, no one does it quite like the Italians, and at the top sits Salvatore Ferragamo, as much a part of Italian cultural heritage as the Coliseum. Ferragamo opened his Florentine shoe shop in 1927 and became the original Hollywood design star. To this day, Ferragamo continues a tradition of luxury and craftsmanship for the modern gentleman. Their casual sneaker offerings combine comfort with the highest quality materials and manufacturing.
One event that’s always marked on my calendar is Nordrom’s Anniversary Sale, one of the largest annual sales of the year where customers can get brandnew, justarrived styles at supersale prices. When the event ends, all sale items return to their original prices.
Perry Ellis released their Spring / Summer 2017 collection in New York last week featuring a runway of looks ranging from Williamsburg street to Boca bridge club. It is an appropriate range for a brand that is synonymous with classic American menswear but in recent years has been pushing the envelope into more debonair territory, and I was happy to partner with them for NYFWM.
Over the years the T-shirt has grown up in style from a billboard of whatever bombastic pop culture reference is in vogue to an understated staple in increasingly sophisticated weaves. Express recently introduced their One Eleven range of stylish T’s that compliment laid back summer styles paired with your favorite jeans or chinos.
Living in New York can be akin to being on a safari. There is a constant sense of adventure, of not knowing what unexpected sight may appear, and observing a natural struggle to survive among its diverse population. The urban jungle isn’t just clever catchphrase: it’s a way of life in the big city.
It was the sense of living in a concrete zoo that inspired this outfit comprised mostly of pieces that I picked up on a recent hunt at Banana Republic. There is a current trend in menswear of layering vests over t-shirts, which gives an otherwise simple look a bit of style and intrigue.
